Podcasts about pacific underground

Oscar Kightley has brought his writing and performing talents to stage, television and the big screen. Along the way he has been a key player in bringing Pasifika stories into New Zealand's mainstream.Born in the Samoan capital, Apia, as Vai To'elau Osa Isa'ako Mase, Kightley emigrated to Aotearoa at age four, after the death of his father. He grew up with an aunt and uncle, one of eight children in the West Auckland suburb of Te Atatu.At primary school, Kightley was "one of the shy kids", a keen reader who "had a rep as a smart-arse, kind of wise-cracking class clown. But I was never one of the performing kids". By age 15 Kightley he knew he wanted to be involved in comedy. Early influences included Eddie Murphy and John Clarke, "the first New Zealander that cracked me up".As a reporter at The Auckland Star, Kightley was encouraged to change his name from Osa to Oscar. His four years at the Star and The Sunday Star-Times provided  "a university education on what Kiwis are like". After short stints in radio and as a TV3 publicist, he headed down to Christchurch in his 1969 Valiant, to start his first ongoing television gig: co-presenting teen magazine show Life in The Fridge. A trip back to Samoa in this period proved potent — it reminded him that Samoans could be doctors and lawyers, as opposed to the Samoan cleaners he knew back in New Zealand.Theatre was also entering the picture: he got "invaluable comedy training" acting as part of Christchurch-based Pasifika group Pacific Underground. Much of their material was issues based; but the group ensemble discovered that "the shortest distance between two people is laughter".Through the rest of the 90s, Kightley's career continued to combine stage and television. On TV, he was developing his writing and performing talents on Gibson Group sketch shows Skitz, Telly Laughs and Newsflash. Kightley was invited to write for Skitz after producer Dave Gibson saw one of his plays; Kightley soon began writing himself into sketches.In-between TV gigs, "the master of self-deprecating immigrant humour" (as Diana Wichtel called him) was honing his storytelling skills on a series of plays that explored Pacific Island characters, usually as they adjusted to life in New Zealand. His first play, 1993's Fresh off the Boat (co-written with Simon Small, and starring David Fane) was performed in Australia and Samoa. In the same period Kightley wrote and directed family tale Dawn Raids (not to be confused with documentary Dawn Raids), and won the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award.That same year Kightley launched The Naked Samoans, with original members David Fane, Mario Gaoa and Shimpal Lelisi. The group of New Zealand-raised Pacific Islanders mined comedy from their experiences of growing up brown and misunderstood, in the world's largest Polynesian city. Kightley argues that they had a devil may care, "kamikaze approach. We weren't the polite Polynesian group". Extended excerpts from the group's live shows (plus interviews) feature in this Tagata Pasifika episode, while this Living Room episode catches them at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 1999 Kightley was invited to work as a storyliner on Shortland Street, an experience that proved helpful when animated series bro'Town began, five years later. Shortland Street "gave me the discipline of writing stories and helped so much in the mechanics of writing 30-minute episodes. There are no schools that teach you those skills."After watching many Naked Samoan shows, Kightley's ex Auckland Star colleague Elizabeth Mitchell decided that the group's portrayal of polynesian teens might work as an animated TV series. bro'Town's portrait of un-PC Pasifika and Māori kids proved a major hit, spawning five seasons. Kightley played Vale Pepelo, brother to Shimpal Lelisi's character, and the most studious member of the five. Kightley shared the script table (and the recording booth) with Mitchell and fellow Naked Samoans Lelisi, Fane and Gaoa. Kightley calls Mitchell the show's "forgotten hero", who kept the team motivated and the machinery of an animated show on track. He talks in detail about bro'Town (and the complications of being expected to represent a minority) in this extended interview, shot for 2019 TV series Funny As. Midway through their bro'Town adventure, The Naked Samoans ventured onto the big screen with 2006 hit Sione's Wedding. Centred around four 30-something males with an urgent deadline to find a girlfriend, Sione was another breakthrough for Pasifika characters on screen; Kightley remembers appreciative audiences ranging from a Polish film festival, to a Pākehā student from a high decile Christchurch school. Sione's Wedding quickly became the most commercially-successful Kiwi comedy released on home soil (at least until the 2010 rise of Taika Waititi's Boy).Aside from being asked to co-write Sione with James Griffin, Kightley appeared on-screen as the bumbling but sensible Albert. "Oscar didn't want to be anyone, and had to be kind of slapped around a bit before he fell into Albert," says Griffin. "He was always destined to be Albert in my mind." According to Kightley, the character's naiveté means that he needs everything explained to him "in triplicate, with memos ... including which girl likes him, and which girl he likes ... if I knew I would be playing him I would have made Albert much cooler. I would definitely have given him better clothes." Sione's 2 - Unfinished Businessbecame a rare Kiwi sequel when it was released in January 2012.Kightley followed it by starring in gritty 2013 police drama Harry, which he co-wrote with director Chris Dudman and real life detective Neil Grimstone. Kightley plays a troubled Samoan-Kiwi detective dealing with a meth-fuelled crimewave, while raising a teenage daughter. To those questioning why he'd taken on such a serious role, Kightley maintained that he "got work in comedy because that was the work I was offered, but I'm quite a serious person generally". Calling the show great, gritty and grimy, The NZ Herald's Paul Casserly praised its lead actor. "Kightley is believable ... You buy him."After co-directing a video ('Just Roll') for hip-hop musician PNC in 2006, Kightley went on to helm video 'Walk Right Up', for rising talent Ladi6. In 2013 he wrote and directed short film Tom's Diary, which follows a Bob Marley-mad Samoan teenager in 80s-era West Auckland. It was nominated for four Moa awards, including Best Film, Script and Actor (for Mac Kaisuva). A movie version is in development. Kightley directed the second season of Madeleine Sami comedy Super City. In 2019 it was announced that he would direct feature-length documentary Dawn Raid, about the Otara-born, Polynesian music label of the same name.As a presenter, Kightley has fronted up for Elizabeth Mitchell directed Rooster Rooster Dragon Rat - Oscar's Guide to the Chinese Zodiac, in which he interviewed defenders and attackers of the zodiac. In 2019 he toured New Zealand in the path of American author Mark Twain, for TV series Following Twain. Other broadcasting gigs include TV3 rugby coverage, playing an old lady on comedy show Radiradirah, and breakfast presenting on Nui FM. Kightley has also been a frequent partner in crime to ex-Ice TV presenter Nathan Rarere. The two co-presented DNA-tracing documentary Made in Taiwan (which he talks about in this interview), sports show Sportzah, and quiz show Snatch Our Booty.In 2016 movie hit Hunt for the Wilderpeople, he won laughs as a bumbling policeman. He was part of the voice cast of Aroha Bridge in its second season, before joining the cast of 2020 Taika Waititi movie Next Goal Wins. A 2006 Arts Foundation Laureate Award winner and Qantas Award-winning journalist, Kightley was made a member of the NZ Order of Merit in 2009 for services to theatre and television, and a Senior Pacific Artist at the 2016 Arts Pasifika Awards. In early 2020 he began a three month Fullbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer's Residency in Hawai'i.

The Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2020 recognise innovation and excellence in Pacific Arts and their contribution to the rich diversity of Aotearoa as a multi-cultural Pacific nation.   Eight Pasifika artists were acknowledged yesterday, across seven categories with an online video announcement, as well as an intimate celebration with the Arts Council of New Zealand. We’re joined now by Tanya Muagututi’a, recipient of the Special recognition Award for the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2020. This award recognises an individual whose work, influence and commitment have raised the standards, expectations and reputation of Pacific Arts and artists. Tanya has been an integral part of the award-winning arts company Pacific Underground since 1992.  From 2000 to 2010, along with husband and Music Director Pos Mavaega, the company presented the Christchurch Pacific Arts Festival developing multiple platforms for and by Pacific artists. After relocating to Auckland, Tanya worked on major events Pasifika, Diwali, Lantern and Auckland Arts and Christchurch Arts Festivals. She has also worked in theatre with Auckland Theatre Company, Mangere Arts Centre, continuing today with the Court Theatre, Okāreka Dance Company and No.3 Roskill Theatre. She was the recipient of an Adam NZ Playmarket Award, is a freelance Producer, still creating with the Pacific Underground family to nurture the next generation of emerging artists. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2020 recognise innovation and excellence in Pacific Arts and their contribution to the rich diversity of Aotearoa as a multi-cultural Pacific nation.   Eight Pasifika artists were acknowledged yesterday, across seven categories with an online video announcement, as well as an intimate celebration with the Arts Council of New Zealand. We’re joined now by Tanya Muagututi’a, recipient of the Special recognition Award for the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2020. This award recognises an individual whose work, influence and commitment have raised the standards, expectations and reputation of Pacific Arts and artists. Tanya has been an integral part of the award-winning arts company Pacific Underground since 1992.  From 2000 to 2010, along with husband and Music Director Pos Mavaega, the company presented the Christchurch Pacific Arts Festival developing multiple platforms for and by Pacific artists. After relocating to Auckland, Tanya worked on major events Pasifika, Diwali, Lantern and Auckland Arts and Christchurch Arts Festivals. She has also worked in theatre with Auckland Theatre Company, Mangere Arts Centre, continuing today with the Court Theatre, Okāreka Dance Company and No.3 Roskill Theatre. She was the recipient of an Adam NZ Playmarket Award, is a freelance Producer, still creating with the Pacific Underground family to nurture the next generation of emerging artists. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pos Mavaega is a founding member of art collective Pacific Underground that was formed in Christchurch in 1993. He talks about how the music landscape has changed and how much Pacific music has progressed since 20 years ago. (Photo: Stuff NZ)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The producers of Pacific Underground curated an hour of music by API musicians! We're kicking off the New Year with music! We have had the pleasure of interviewing truly talented musicians and artists at Pacific Underground and today, we curated a playlist of songs by API musicians. Not all of them have been on Pacific Underground and some of the songs are older, but here's a taste of what plays in our earbuds. 1:04 Tito Felix- Anak 6:00 Abhi The Nomad- Somebody to Love https://www.instagram.com/abhithenomad/ 10:07 Julie Plug- Devoted 14:56 ZAYN- Scripted https://www.instagram.com/zayn/ 18:36 Anderson Paak (feat. Kendrick Lamar)- Tints (Clean version) https://www.instagram.com/anderson._paak/ 23:01 cdza- History Of Lyrics That Aren't Lyrics https://www.cdzamusic.com/ 26:05 The Slants- From the Heart (Track Town Records edition) http://www.theslants.com/ 29:58 H.E.R.- Hard Place https://www.instagram.com/hermusicofficial/ 33:58 Mitski- Nobody https://www.instagram.com/mitskileaks/ 37:09 One Vo1ce- Here I Go (Falling in Love Again) 42:04 POPgoji- I Wish https://www.popgoji.com/ 46:29 Jocelyn Enriquez- Do You Miss Me 50:13 Hanz Araki- The Snows http://hanzaraki.com/

2018 marks 13 years of public affairs programming at KBOO for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, between the last three years of both Pacific Underground and the equally fantastic Intersections Radio, and the ten (!) years that APA Compass was on the air (2005-2015). To celebrate this anniversary, producers Jenna and Tabitha are joined by special guests and founding members of the APA Compass collective Liz Rogers, Marie Lo, and Patti Sakurai. While the active roster of both shows has evolved over the years, the need for shows that highlight and stress the diversity of our experiences and viewpoints over and against images of our communities as passive, apolitical, and homogeneous, is as crucial as ever in this current political climate.

Crazy Rich Asians is doing well in the box office and is trending on social media, especially among Asian American. There are many who love the movie and say it represents a big step in representation, while there are many who could do without it and say it only furthers the problems in Asian mainstream representation. The Pacific Underground crew will talk about their take on the movie and about other Asian American media they're consuming these days. We'll also have a special guest -- Portland's own Creative Laureate Subashini Ganesan -- to talk about the real Singapore. "Yellow" by Katherine Ho -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6NQZHyJYO8 Wo Yao Ni De Ai by Jasmine Chen -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjepR9LWl-g "The look of love" by Jacintha -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWO7PyDl7Ks&list Viet Thanh Nguyen on narrative scarcity -- https://vimeo.com/170099979 New Expressive Works -- Suba's Dance School -- http://www.natyaleela.com/about.html

Lilian Dirrebes Ongelungel speaks with Pacific Underground producers Jake and Kat about being the only Pacific Islander in the room, Moana, tattoos, and storytelling / oral histories.

Until a few months ago, Nadya Okamoto was ashamed of being Asian but didn't really realize it. We talk to her about how her upbringing in New York and Portland affected how she viewed herself and how a recent run for city council brought her identity issues to light. We also talk about what it's like for her now as someone who is just starting to embrace their identity. Read Nadya's piece "Until Three Months Ago, I Was Ashamed of Being Asian" on nextshark.com. The Pacific Underground collective also joins in to share their own stories of shame, self-embrace, and the on going journey of feeling comfortable in one's own skin in America. Nadya Okamoto, who grew up in Portland, OR, is 19-years-old and a Harvard sophomore. She is the Founder and Executive Director of PERIOD (period.org), an organization she founded at the age of 16. She is also the Co-founder and spokesperson of E Pluribus (eplur.org). PERIOD is now the largest youth-run NGO in women’s health, and one of the fastest growing ones here in the United States. In 2017, Nadya ran for office in Cambridge, MA. While she did not win, her campaign team made historic waves in mobilizing young people on the ground and at polls. Nadya recently signed with publisher Simon and Schuster to write a book to mobilize the Menstrual Movement, and is currently writing her manuscript. Nadyaloves to dance, whether that be for fun with friends or on Harvard’s competitive hip hop team.

2017 has been a tumultuous year for the United States and Pacific Underground. We take a look back and discuss what we've learned this year and maybe what we might do differently going ahead.

May is Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month so we've decided to have another awkward episode about it. Last year, the crew of Pacific Underground found themselves in the not so comfortable position of being live on air while realizing that most of us didn't care to celebrate a month that was create to honor us. For some reason, we didn't really address it much, we just had a weirdly awkward show. So this year, we're tackling it head on. Bring on the awkwardness and much needed discussion about why having our own month is a good/bad/good thing. We're also featuring a live in-studio interview with Alex and Mazzy, stars of the YouTube cooking show, The Mazzy Show. They talk about what it's like to go viral and what their show means for API representation. Music by @CHOPSmusic

What does it mean to be an Asian woman in America in 2017? In this special International Women's Day episode, the women of Pacific Underground explore what the Asian American experience for women is in a time when gender expression, identity, and sex are being defined more fluidly than ever. Listen along as we dive into the exploration of self and reclamation. We also talk to the comedy duo SJ and Ginny about their new YouTube series "Quiet Tiny Asian," where they present a hilarious look at what it's like to be constantly seen as tiny and explain why, as an Asian woman in America, you just can't win. www.sjandginny.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwTVy4CG0zo Theme music by @CHOPSmusic Music: "Quiet" by @MILCK "Brushing by Heaven's Shoulder" by @kimmortal

This week, Weekly Disruption focuses on one issue. Pacific Underground producer Canaan joins Jenna to talk about AAPIs and their role in today's social justice movement. We ask ourselves, how can we as a community help to support and amplify the voices of those who need to be heard? music by @chopsmusic

This week, in addition to the pop news, we talk about API life in Portlandia. Have you ever wanted to move to Oregon? Before you do, have a listen to our lively discussion about all the wonderful b.s. going on in the headlines from our home state. Tabitha shares about a famous Oregon rodeo that portrays Chinese people as beggars, while Jenna reflects on the Portland Police's not so successful "Police Matter" PR campaign; Mark Wahlburg has finally dropped his pardon request for committing a hate crime against a Vietnamese-American refugee; the newest Bruce Lee flick is somehow about a white guy; Gwen Stefani brings her cultural appropriation to animation; and Pamela tells us about how you can meet the Pacific Underground crew at this year's IntersectFest in PDX. Music by @chopsmusic

Jenna Yokoyama is a Japanese American. She co-hosts the show Pacific Underground on KBOO in Portland, Oregon. It is heard on the FOURTH Friday of every month at 11:00 a.m. It is also on podcast via Soundcloud and iTunes. According to its website, "There are nearly 225,000 APIs in Oregon. But in one of America’s whitest states, the issues that impact us simply aren’t covered. Imagine: 225,000 stories untold. Pacific Underground is a show by Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) taking the mic into our own hands." Jenna covers a lot of ground in this conversation. We discuss religion, racism and the daily indignities APIs face to the social transformation underway with younger generations. She talks about the problem of the European designation “Asian” to refer to nearly half the planet as well as the necessity for APIs to unite as “Asian-Americans” for the purpose of empowerment.

In his 1959 Sermon on Gandhi, Dr. King said: “The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, so that when the battle’s over, a new relationship comes into being between the oppressed and the oppressor….The way of violence leads to bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. But, the way of non-violence leads to redemption and the creation of the beloved community.” On “The Beloved Community” we address the philosophical and spiritual foundations for non-violence, activism, political engagement and peace building. We also hear voices of those who are building the beloved community right here in Portland. The goal is to gain inspiration, solidarity, wisdom, and insight for your own activism. On this pilot edition of “The Beloved Community,” host John Shuck speaks with three activists. Each of them brings a unique voice and perspective to bringing Martin Luther King’s vision to fruition. Marianne Williamson, is a New York Times Bestselling author, lecturer, and activist. She will discuss the spiritual foundations of the Beloved Community as we discuss her latest book, Tears to Triumph: The Spiritual Journey from Suffering to Enlightenment. G. Scott Brown, is the Co-founder of the Colorado Center for Restorative Practices. He was formerly an activist for Greenpeace and now brings the principles of non-violence to all of his social justice work. He will be in Portland on August 16 th to discuss his latest book, Active Peace: A Mindful Path to a Non-Violent World. We close the hour speaking with Jenna Yokoyama. Jenna is a co-host of the KBOO program, Pacific Underground that airs every FOURTH Friday of the month at 11:00 a.m. “Pacific Underground is a show by Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) taking the mic into our own hands.” She will discuss the Asian-American experience in Portland including why it is problematic to use phrases such as the “Asian-American experience.”

Pacific Underground is proud to premiere our latest project, Weekly Disruption. While our regular monthly show focuses on telling the stories of our API communities, Weekly Disruption gives us a chance to look at the stories that are floating around social media and the headlines. This week, Jenna, Tabitha, and Pamela talk about API firsts at the DNC, that stupid murpheybed ninja song, and Jason Bourne saving China. Listen along as we laugh, angry, and disrupt. Also, we love you, John Cho. Music: "Return of the King" by CHOPS

Being mixed race in a word that it focused on labels can bring it's share of challenges as well as joys. For this month's episode of Pacific Underground, we dive into stories of what it means to be mixed race and how those in the API community navigate being a part of multiple cultures. First, producer Canaan Schlesinger takes a look at the word "hapa" to see how this once pejorative term came to be used in the mainstream. Then Alan Montecillo explores the history of interracial relationships in the early 20th century. Composer Winton White shares his experience about being hafu in Japan. Music in this episode is from CHOPS, Hanz Araki, and Winton White.

The Pacific Underground production team shares their favorite API owned places to eat in Portland, Oregon. Even if you don't live in Bridge City, you'll still relate to the stories shared as we talk about why we love to chow down at our beloved local joints.

If food were a language, what stories do we tell? This month, Pacific Underground explores what food signifies for us as Asian and Pacific Islanders in America, what it means to us at different times of our lives, and, in a lot of ways, how we perceive ourselves. First, we share stories about eating lunch as kids. Then, the Pacific Underground team roundtables about the issues surrounding white chefs who own API restaurants. To throw some support to our favorite eateries in Portland, the Pacific Underground team talks about their must eat restaurants around town that are API owned. Producer Pamela Santos shares a love story about food. We also bring you our latest Your English is So Good.

We love Star Wars so much here at Pacific Underground that we did an hour long special called "Asians and Pacific Islanders in Star Wars!" for our home station KBOO 90.7FM. Listen to the Pacific Underground crew as we take a humorous and critical look at Asian and Pacific Islander representation in Star Wars. We talk about "asian aliens," Ewoks speaking Tagalog, orientalism, and the increasing amount of APIs in Star Wars. So join in with Pamela, Tabitha, Canaan, and Jenna as we laugh, analyze and nerd out in a candid roundtable discussion about everyone's favorite far, far away galaxy! We're also joined by Pacific Underground nerd guest, artist Albert Nguyen.

A preview of our upcoming episode premiering live on KBOO 90.7FM on Friday, April 22 at 11am during the membership drive. Tune in for some amazing thank you gifts like tickets to the John Williams concert in Portland, custom nerd art by Albert Nguyen, and CDs from The Slants. We'll be interviewing conductor Paul Kim about his upcoming John Williams concert; Pamela Santos talks with Simon Tam from The Slants, and the Pacific Underground team talks about APIs in Star Wars with a great Ewok impersonation by producer Canaan.

Pacific Underground brings you a mixtape of kickass API artists: Run River North, jason chu, and Sugar Pie DeSanto.